Thursday, June 9, 2011

In case you haven't seen this by now... this video has made the rounds the last two days. It's from Casey Neistat, the East Village-based filmmaker about his experience getting a $50 ticket for not riding in the bike lane on Second Avenue near St. Mark's Place.

anon, 3:46. It does not matter if he was obstructed or not. There is no law that requires a bike to ride in the bike lane, only laws that prevent cars from using them. The ticket he was given is pure harassment, the NYPD gives tickets to bicyclists all the time that have no backing in law. Either you pay up, or you waste a day going to court to have it thrown out. Either way, you get shafted.

Anonymous 5:44PM: I hate to break it to you, but you're wrong. Try reading the Rules of the City of New York:RCNY, Title 34, 4-12:" (p) Bicycles. (1) Bicycle riders to use bicycle lanes. Whenever a usable path or lane for bicycles has been provided, bicycle riders shall use such path or lane only except under any of the following situations: (i) When preparing for a turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway. (ii) When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions (including but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, pushcarts, animals, surface hazards) that make it unsafe to continue within such bicycle path or lane."

This rule falls after Title 34 4-02 (voiding of State Law VTL 1234 (shall use bike lanes)).

The short of it, VTL1234 is void in NYC, but then NYC reinstates that same provision in RCNY Title 34, 4-12.

As for the video, it would have been more convincing for his case if he had shown the "obstruction" he was objecting to.

Clearly, this whole bike-lane initiative that the city launched was never intended as an actual safety measure for cyclists from the start. it was simply a plan to be able to tap another source of violation ticket revenue for the coffers.Encourage more and more people to bicycle; and then tap them all as income.

What else can you do but watch out for these dicks. If the city makes up its mind to get people's money, they will get it done one way or another. i stop for most lights these days unless the coast is completely clear. i'm getting used to it and it's not so bad. Riding like this, it still beats walking.

anon 11:29, nice try quoting law but you got it wrong. Mainly because you are not thinking about the reality of what defines "safe". have a nice day and keep up the hate, it's healthy for you

http://www.bicycledefensefund.org/bikelaw.html

Bike LanesYou are NOT required to ride in the bike lane.

—34 RCNY 4-12(p)(1) states that bicyclists should ride in usable bike lanes, unless they are preparing to turn, or are avoiding unsafe conditions (including but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, motor vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, pushcarts, animals, surface hazards).

Q: Isn't this an overstatement of the law? It seems to me that the law says that bikes have to stay in bike lanes.A: No. If you look at the full text of the statute it clearly grants cyclists the discretion to ride in the bike lane or not, according to whether the cyclist deems it safe. As safe, usable bike lanes are extremely rare in New York City, cyclists are not required to endanger themselves by riding in unsafe bike lanes.

Ooh ooh I know what we can all do! Follow the damn laws. Cyclists are amazing hypocrits, always yelling at people for being in the way, and also always managing to be in the way. And if you know you're crashing into something, at least wear a helmet.

you know what? i used to ride my bike. a lot. then they put in these bike lanes and things got really complicated and aggro, and now my bike is a clothes rack in my bedroom. it sucks. do i need a bell? do i need to ONLY ride in a bike lane? do i need to get off my bike and walk it like a pedestrian thru the crosswalk at a red light? WTF why why why are cops allowed to ticket you for things that aren't illegal? i'm really sick of this crap. i want to ride my bicycle... i want to ride my bike. but it's too fkn complicated.

ps: i heard this call-in to brian leherer's (excellent) show on wnyc that morning... didn't know it was *that* casey. cool. but not cool.

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